Fan package



Sept. 7, 1954 s. s. SWIDERSKI FAN PACKAGE Filed Jan. 19, 1952 In v/ n for: fiz'alerki 5Z2 v PM Patented Sept. 7, 1954 FAN PACKAGE Steve 8- Swiderski, Chicago, Ill., assignor to International Harvester Company, a corporation of New Jersey Application January 19, 1952, Serial No. 267,277

5 Claims. 1 V

This invention relates to a container unit for shipping articles. More specifically this invention relates to a device for packaging fans within a container for shipment.

It is a prime object of this invention to provide an improved shipping container for shipping articles such as fans of the type normally assembled with the power units of internal combustion engines;

A still further object isto provide an improved shipping device for shipping automotive parts such as cooling fans, the cooling fans generally consisting of impeller blades, a hub portion and a connecting stud projecting axially from the hub portion, the shipping unit containing a support on which the fans are positioned in spaced relation with respect to one another.

Still another object is to provide a container or a shipping unit for shipping automotive fans, the unit containing a plurality of supports, the supports being cube-shaped and including a plurality of bores extending inwardly toward the center of the cube-shaped support, the bores extending perpendicular with respect to each face of the support, the said bores being adapted to receive the projecting studs of fans in telescoping arrangement whereby the fans are individually supported in spaced relation with respect to each other on the faces of cube-shaped support.

These and further objects will become more readily apparent from a reading of the specification' when taken in connection with the accompanying sheet of drawing.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a shipping container having its top closure member removed to show a, plurality of fans which are supported in packed relation on cube-shaped supporting members;

Figure 2 is a sectional view through a container showing a plurality of fans positioned and supported on a cube-shaped supporting member; and

Figure 3 Isa sectional view through a container unit, the view being taken substantially along the line 3--3 of Fig. 2.

Referring now particularly to Figure 1, a container is generally indicated by the reference character II). The container I is of rectangular shape or configuration and includes a plurality of side walls II, each of the side walls II being connected to an adjacent side wall. The side walls II are suitably connected to a bottom I2 andthe open end of the container It may be suitably closed by a top or closure member I3.

Referring now to Figures 2 and 3, a plurality of fans I4 are supported within the container ID. The fans I4 are of the conventional automotive type, each fan I4 including impeller blades It. The blades I5 are connected by means of a plurality of bolts I6 to a central hub I1 which is provided intermediate its ends with a V-belt groove I8. Each fan also includes an attaching stud or rod I9 which projects axially from the hub I! of the fan I4.

As indicated in Figures 2 and 3, a supporting unit is generally designated by the reference character 20. The supporting unit 20 comprises a cube-shaped member or support 2I having faces or sides 22. The definition cube-shaped member'of course indicates that the member 2I is provided with six faces 22, opposite faces of said cube-shaped member 'ZI being in parallel relation. As best indicated in Figure 3, the cubeshaped member 2| is provided with a plurality of bores or openings 23 extending inwardly toward the center of the cube-shaped member. Each bore 23 extends-inwardly from a respective face 22in perpendicular relation.

Each bore 23 receives the attaching member I9 of a fan I4 in telescoping or mating relation, the hub II of the fan having its end portion placed fiat against the face 22 from which it projects in substantially perpendicular relation. In this manner the impeller blades I5 are positioned in a plane substantially parallel to the face of the cube-shaped member 2 I. In packing, the shipper merely takes a cube-shaped member 2| and inserts the attaching member I9 of each fan I4 into its respective bore 23 on the cubeshaped member. In this manner he can adequately support six fans I4 independently and in spaced relation with respect to one another as indicated in the drawing. After he has assembled six fans in this manner, he simply places the unitary assembly into the container ID in the manner indicated. One of the fans I4 is so positioned that its blades I5 are supported on the base I2 and thus the cube-shaped member H is also supported from the base in vertically spaced relation. Another of the fans I4 is in contiguous or contacting relation with respect to one side wall II of the container I0 so that the cube-shaped member 2i is spaced laterally with respect to said side wall. As indicated in Figure 1, the units which are placed in the corners of the container I0 have two fans in contiguous relation with respect to adjacent side walls II and, as indicated in Figures 2 and 3, the cover I3 is in contact with the uppermost fan I4 whereby upward displacement of the unitary assembly during shipment is prevented.

As schematically indicated in Figure 1, the supporting member 20 thus can adequately support six of the fans I 4 independently with respect to each other. By placing the supports side by side within the container II] a great many of the support and fan assemblies can be placed within the container, the side walls of the container and the adjacent assemblies serving to keep the assemblies in place during shipment.

Thus the fans are adequately protected from damage during shipment and after the assemblies have reached their destination they can be quickly disassembled from the cube-shaped members 2|. Previous devices for shipping fans have been found to be inadequate since due to the odd shape of their construction conventional packaging procedures were found to be unsatisfactory.

Thus, it can be seen that an improved shipping device or container for shipping automotive fans has been provided. It can be seen that the objects ,of the invention have been fully achieved and it must be understood that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as disclosed nor the scope thereof as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a fan package, each fan having a central hub, a plurality of impeller blades projecting radially outwardly from the hub, and including an attaching member projecting axially from the hub; a container having a base, side Walls extending upwardly from said base, said side walls being connected in rectangularly disposed relation, a plurality of fan supports disposed in said container, each of said supports comprising a cubeshaped member having a plurality of faces, each face of each cube-shaped member having a bore extending inwardly toward the center of the cubeshaped member in perpendicular relation with respect to said face, all the bores of each cubeshaped member receiving the attaching members of the fans in mating relation whereby a fan projects outwardly from each face of each cubeshaped member with the axis of each fan disposed perpendicular to each face, one of said fans on each said support being supported on the base of said container for supporting each cubeshaped member and the fans positioned thereon in spaced relation with respect to said base, the fans on adjacent supports being in face-contacting relation and the outermost fans of the assembly being in face-contacting relation with the side walls of the container, whereby the supports are spaced horizontally in mutually supporting relation.

2. In a fan package, each fan having a central hub, a plurality of impeller blades projecting radially outwardly from the hub, and including an attaching member projecting axially from the hub; a container having a base, side walls extending upwardly from said base, each side wall being connected to an adjacent side wall in rectangular formation, and a plurality of fan supports disposed within said container, each support comprising a cube-shaped member having a plurality of faces, each face of saidv cube-shaped member including a bore disposed perpendicular to the face, each bore receiving the attaching. member of a fan in mating relation whereby a fan is held in each bore with the axis of the fan perpendicular to the face of the cube-shaped member and the impeller blades are positioned in.

parallel relation with respect to each face, the impeller blades of one of the fans being positioned to support the cube-shaped member in spaced relation with respect to said base, the impeller blades of a second fan being in engagement with one of said side walls for maintaining the cubeshaped member in laterally spaced relation with,

respect to said side wall, and certain fans supported on certain of the cube-shaped members engaging in contiguous relation certain fans on a certain other cube-shaped member, whereby the cube-shaped members are spaced horizontally with respect to each other within said container.

3. A container for fans having impeller blades and an attaching member connected thereto, said container having a base, side walls extending upwardly from said base, each side wall being connected to an adjacent side wall in rectangular formation, and a fan support disposed within said container, said support comprising a cubeshaped member having a plurality of faces, each face of said cube-shaped member including a bore disposed perpendicular to the face, each bore receiving the attaching member of a fan in mating relation whereby a fan is held in each bore with the axis of the fan perpendicular to the face of the cube and the impeller is positioned in parallel relation with respect to each face, the impeller blades of one fan being positioned to support the cube-shaped member in spaced relation with respect to said base, the impeller blades of a second fan being in engagement with one of said side walls for maintaining the cube-shaped member in laterally spaced relation with respect to said side wall.

4. A container for fans, each fan having impeller blades, and an attaching member projecting perpendicular to the plane of the impeller blades, said container having a base, side walls extending upwardly from said base, each side wall being connected to an adjacent side wall in rectangular formation, and a fan support disposed within said container, said support comprising a cube-shaped member having a plurality of faces, each face of said cube-shaped member including a bore disposed perpendicular to the face, each bore receiving the attaching member of a fan in mating relation whereby a fan is held in each bore with the axis of the fan perpendicular to the face of the cube and the impeller blades are positioned in parallel relation with respect to each face, a first fan being supported on the base of the container, and a second fan being in engagement with one of the side walls whereby said cube-shaped member is vertically spaced from the base and laterally spaced from one of the side walls.

5. A container for fans, each fan having impeller blades and an attaching member project- .ing perpendicular to the plane. of the impeller blades, said container having a base,-side walls extending upwardly from said base, eachside wall being connected to an adjacent side wall in. rectangular formation, and a fan support disposed within said container, said support comprising ported onthe base of the container, and a second. fan being in engagementwith one of the side walls whereby said cube-shaped member is vertically spaced from the base and laterally spaced from one of the side walls.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,517,912 Leighton. aimin Dec. 2, 1924- 1,809,600 Palmer June 9., 1931'.

2,389,358 Gross i s...l u Nov; 20, 1945 

